Transporters fleece commuters in Abbottabad
Passengers are stranded aboard a bus in Faisalabad amid a nationwide transporters’ strike. Transporters are protesting against massive tax increases. Photo: ONLINE
Public transporters of Abbottabad city created havoc by blackmailing passengers of Harno, Nawan Shehr, Kakul village, Dehmatore, Mirpur, Jabriyan, and Malkpur as they were charging Rs70 against the fare of Rs45 only which was fixed by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
According to the details, in a recent development, a new fare schedule has been introduced under the supervision of the Additional Commissioner where Rs3.50 per kilometre has been fixed and unveiled in the presence of media representatives, municipal members and city stakeholders.
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The new fare structure was applicable to Suzuki vans travelling from Abbottabad to Ayub Medical Complex and Abbottabad to Nawan Shehr. Suzuki drivers were refusing to take passengers on the same fare, leading to complications for individuals moving to various offices and students attempting to reach school.
Responding to the intervention of the Suzuki Union in governmental affairs and actions taken against the drivers, the traffic police have filed cases against 19 drivers. The ongoing operations aim to enforce government fare rates on public transport, particularly for Suzuki vehicles.
Before the issuance of the recent notification, the government fare from Abbottabad to Complex and Abbottabad to Nawan Shehr stood at Rs37. However, Suzuki drivers were charging Rs40.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2023.